It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bill Palmer. Bill passed peacefully after a short courageous battle with Cancer. At the time of his passing, his wife and lifelong companion of sixty-nine years, Olga and their children; Douglas (Lynette) Palmer, Frederick (Valerie) Palmer and Jeanette (Gregory) Helfrich were at his side.

Bill is also survived by his grandchildren; Jamie (Kyle) Holmes, Stacie (Trevor) Scheller, Lynden (Lana) Palmer and Lyndsay Helfrich, great- grandchildren; Austin and Rylin Scheller, Rorie and Kashleigh Holmes as well as his brother Jim Palmer, sister Amanda (Bubbles) Bodnard and many other loving family members. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Doug and Agnus Palmer (nee: Bedard) and grandson, Brett Helfrich.

Bill was born at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops on June 15, 1928. He was the eldest of three children. They were raised on the 7-0 Ranch in Heffley Creek, where Bill and Olga raised their family as well. In 1968, the ranch sold and Bill moved his family to Rayleigh, where he resided until his passing.

Bill loved the “Cowboy Way” of life. He enjoyed their purebred Hereford cattle purebred sheep and his Quarter Horses. He enjoyed the sport of rodeo in which he received his lifetime membership to the Canadian Professional Rodeo Assn. in June 1978 and competed in the Calf Roping and later enjoyed Team Roping. Bill along with his brother Jim, were inducted into the B.C. Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009 in the “Ranching Legacy” category. Bill enjoyed working at the B.C. Livestock Producers Co-Operative Assn. for 42 years. He enjoyed many hunting trips, fun times curling, playing cards and going dancing with their lifelong friends.

He touched many lives and leaves us all with many cherished memories. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, near and far.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank the doctors, nurses and staff at the Royal Inland Hospital and will be forever grateful to the nurses, staff and volunteers and the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Home for their tender and loving care in Bill’s last days with us.

Prayers will be recited at St. John Vianney Catholic Church Tuesday October 1, 2019 at 7:00 pm. Funeral mass will be held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church October 2, 2019 at 10:30 am. Monsignor Jerry Desmond officiating.

In lieu of flowers and in Bill’s memory, donations to the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Association (www.kamloopshospice.com) would be greatly appreciated.

Condolences may be expressed at www.myalternatives.ca

• Date : 2019-09-24
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.